Sexual harassment scandals

Ex-aides in Hill sexual harassment scandals tell Congress: Finalize a misconduct deal

By ELANA SCHOR

Seven women who have come forward about experiencing sexual harassment while they worked in Congress made a public plea Thursday for lawmakers to finalize a deal to strengthen Capitol Hill’s misconduct policing system.

In a letter to congressional leaders, a copy of which was shared with POLITICO, the women described themselves as “dismayed and disheartened by Congress’s failure to act and take care of its own” by agreeing on final legislation modernizing the Hill’s workplace harassment rules.

“In every building, down every hallway, and behind every door in Congress are good, honest people — often young people — working long hours for little pay in hopes of making our country and the world fairer and more just,” the seven women wrote.

“But for too many of us, the work was tainted by harassment and abuse nurtured by a culture of secrecy and an unforgiving, flawed system that protects those in power rather than those who need protection most. This included sexual harassment, verbal beratement, public humiliation, being punched, being grabbed, being threatened. And in every instance, our current jobs and future careers in politics were integrally tied to our willingness to stay quiet.”

Among the letter’s seven signatories are Lauren Greene, whose harassment claim against ex-Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Texas) helped force his resignation, and Anna Kain, whose harassment by a top aide in Rep. Elizabeth Esty’s office prompted Esty (D-Conn.) to forgo reelection and acknowledge she had mishandled Kain’s claim. Their letter comes as a sexual assault allegation has upended Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination and as the one-year anniversary of the rise of the #MeToo movement nears.

The House passed a bipartisan bill revamping the current system for handling and deterring workplace misconduct on the Hill in February, amid a wave of sexual misconduct scandals that ended careers on both sides of the aisle. Republicans and Democrats aligned in that chamber call for changes to a harassment adjudication process that imposed undue burdens on accusers, including mandatory mediation, and allowed lawmakers to settle claims using taxpayer money.

The Senate approved its own Hill harassment overhaul in May. But the upper chamber’s bipartisan accord watered down several pivotal provisions of the House’s measure and has sparked tension between the chambers ever since over the shape of a final accord. Although staff-level talks have continued, the prospects for agreement before the midterm elections appear slimmer by the day given the scant number of days lawmakers are set to remain in session.

The seven former congressional employees pointed to the ticking clock in their letter to lawmakers, writing: "The 115th Congress must act now to effectively address the scourge of harassment and discrimination in its own workforce."

The letter's other signatories are Katherine Cichy, who shared her story of harassment while working in former Sen. Tim Johnson's (D-S.D.) office; Rebecca Weir, who shared a story of being asked to "twirl" by former Rep. Gary Miller (R-Calif.); Ally Coll Steele, who founded a nonprofit focused on combating sexual harassment after sharing her own experience of harassment by an ex-Democratic senator; Winsome Packer, who settled a harassment claim against Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.); and Melanie Sloan, a veteran watchdog-group lawyer who joined others in alleging harassment by former Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.).